Overall, while media companies distributing their content via go90 say they are generally happy with the app’s modest but growing audience, advertisers say go90 has disappointed.

“Adoption has been slower than they anticipated,” said Niki DeCou, vice president, brand group director at the ad buying firm Horizon Media.

“When you build something new like this it’s hard,” Ms. DeCou added. “You’re trying to get an enormous amount of viewers, and get people to use a new app. It’s a difficult challenge, It requires a big marketing effort to get awareness, and then you need people coming back.”

Many in the ad community question the long term strategy of trying to focus on getting people to download a standalone app in a mobile world increasingly dominated by
Facebook
and Snapchat.

“Go90 is a bit of a mystery,” said Warren Zenna, executive vice president and managing director at Mobext, a mobile advertising specialty division of the ad buying company Havas Media. Mr. Zenna said his team had thus far declined to buy any ads on the app.

“I don’t personally think another video app is the play for [Verizon],” he said. “I really haven’t seen a seen a unique offering with go90. It’s like YouTube but not as good.”

go90 features shows like the AwesomenessTV scripted series "Guidance"
Photo:
go90

There is reason for hope. Recently, Verizon connected go90 with AOL’s advertising technology software, meaning that advertisers should be able to take advantage of more robust, data-driven ad targeting on the app. “If they can amass a large enough audience--not a small feat-- they have a lot tech and targeting that can be coupled with it to be valuable,” said Mike Margolin, senior vice president, director of audience Strategy at the ad agency RPA.

Regarding audience--the number of people downloading go90 in the Apple App store has fluctuated wildly since it launched, according to the analytics firm App Annie. Danielle Levitas, App Annie’s senior vice president of research and marketing communications, said that go90 has slowly built an audience of several million monthly active users, with traffic surging during key sporting events like the NCAA Final Four last April.

Some media companies grumble that when go90 debuted, it was difficult for people to find videos on the app--and that they are often in the dark as to how many people are watching or sharing their videos. Yet most say they are pleased with what they’ve seen from Verizon so far, and are willing to be patient.

“There are learning curves with any of these new platforms and they are going through that,” said one go90 partner.

Keith Richman,
president of the Web video company Defy Media, said he’s noticed that certain shows his firm delivers to go90, like the pop culture-themed “Clevver Now,” consistently generate user comments--a positive sign. And he’s heard from fans directly about their experience using the app.

“There are not metrics we can look at on a consistent basis,” he said. “But our experience has been really positive.”

Verizon's go90 app
Photo:
go90

Meanwhile, to help expand its audience, Verizon has begun to distribute content outside of the go90 app, including on AOL as well as a recently launched desktop site. It’s likely that some go90 shows will end up on
Yahoo
properties once Verizon’s acquisition of that company closes next year, said Brian Angiolet, Verizon’s senior vice president, consumer product portfolio.

Mr. Angiolet acknowledged that go90 had some technical hiccups early on but he’s pleased with the app’s momentum. “We are not in a position today to be compared to a huge digital property because we just started,” he said. “But we are very happy with it.”

Verizon isn’t planning another big national media campaign promoting go90 in the near future. Instead, the company plans to push individual series as they debut. “Our focus is more around discoverability,” said Mr. Angiolet.

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